Fernando Alonso claims there are ‘different rules for different people’ in F1

‘Let’s see the next one that crosses the white line on the pit entry, let’s see which nationality he is, and which penalty he will get’

Alpine driver Fernando Alonso (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Fernando Alonso has claimed that there are “different rules for different people” in Formula One.

The Alpine driver deliberately made use of the run-off area at the first corner during last month’s Russian Grand Prix, but he did so in a manner that ensured he complied with F1 rules.

Nevertheless, Alonso said he performed the manoeuvre “just to see the questions here in Istanbul, just to confirm when I do things, they have a different behaviour and different repercussions on the following event.

“So now maybe they change the run-off area in lap one in the first couple of corners.”

The Spaniard, speaking ahead of this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix, was seemingly referencing the fact that British driver Lando Norris escaped punishment for illegally crossing the white line at pit entry during the final laps of a rain-soaked Russian GP.

“Let’s see the next one that crosses the white line on the pit entry, let’s see which nationality he is, and which penalty he will get,” added Alonso, who also said he feels he has “been the idiot on track for most of the championship” for following the rules.

“I’ve been overtaken from outside of the asphalt by many people in the first couple of races and even in Austria, and nothing happened; there were no questions,” Alonso continued.

“And now after Sochi there is a question, so it is a confirmation.

“We try to speak with the race director [at the British GP] – and say or blame all the things people were doing – with not many answers, and that was strange.

“I don’t want to be blaming or crying every race for something the others do. The strategy in the first races didn’t bring us any solutions, so we understand the solution is to do what the others are doing.

“We try to be fair and say to the referee: ‘Look, they are playing with their hands in the penalty area.’ But if the referee is doing nothing, we understand we can also play with the hands in the penalty area. So we do that.”